THE Scottish government has uprated devolved benefits, yet figures revealed today that more than 100 people died waiting to receive them.

All social security payments administered by the Scottish government were increased by 6.7 per cent today.

The rise is in line with September’s consumer price index of inflation, which excludes housing costs, and fulfilling a Scottish government commitment it made in December.

SNP Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said the £370 million investment in benefits such as Adult Disability Payment (ADP) “enables disabled people to live full and independent lives.” 

But Scottish Labour has accused the government of replicating the “cruel and callous approach” of the Tory UK counterparts as dozens “spent the final months of their life fighting for the support they were entitled to.”

A freedom of information request on behalf of Scottish Labour revealed that as many as 116 people died waiting for ADP — equivalent to the UK government’s Personal Independence Payment — over the last year, a figure branded “shameful” by Labour social security spokesman Paul O’Kane.

He said: “The SNP promised to build a fairer, more compassionate social security system in Scotland, but instead their incompetence is leaving disabled people to suffer for months on end while bills pile up.

“It is utterly appalling that people are dying while waiting for a decision to be made.

“Instead of ending the DWP’s cruel and callous approach to social security, the SNP has recreated it.”

A spokesman for Social Security Scotland said: “Sadly, some clients passed away while their applications for ADP were being processed.

“We have a separate application route for people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness with an average processing time of three working days and are actively encouraging people to use it.”